Life-saving tackle ended the carnage in Ross Township

Police hailed as heroes two men who helped subdue a gunman who opened fire at a Ross Township municipal meeting Monday night.

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By CAMILO H. SMITH

poconorecord.com

By CAMILO H. SMITH

Posted Aug. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By CAMILO H. SMITH

Posted Aug. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

Police hailed as heroes two men who helped subdue a gunman who opened fire at a Ross Township municipal meeting Monday night.

"The individuals who are truly heroic in their actions have undoubtedly saved the lives of the individuals who were in attendance at the township meeting (Monday) night are Bernie Kozen and Mark Kresh," state police Capt. Edward C. Hoke said Tuesday.

Kresh helped Kozen after he tackled accused gunman Rockne Newell to the floor. Police said Newell was firing rounds from a handgun as Kresh threw himself into the fracas.

"This could have been much worse had we not had the quick actions of two individuals who interceded and stopped this from being much worse," said state police Lt. Col. George Bivens.

But outside his home Tuesday afternoon, Kresh, dressed in dark shorts and a green T-shirt, didn't want to speak to the press. "Get out of here, I'm done," he said.

National TV stations, cable and local news channels and newspapers flooded Ross Township with coverage of the shootings.

"I had a view of Rockne coming in. I saw Bernie struggling with him," Ross Township Supervisor Tina Drake said Monday night immediately after the shooting.

Kozen, West End Park and Open Space Commission executive director, could not be reached Tuesday.

He described his actions to subdue the shooter Monday: "When he came back in, he didn't see me. I guess he was hellbent on ..." His voice trailed off.

"I was working on Dave Fleetwood, and he walked by me into the meeting room, I guess to shoot more people," Kozen said. "That's when I came up behind him and wrestled the gun from him with the help of Mr. Kresh."